Emergency Training Exercise at Jupiter Court

Cleveland Fire Brigade is carrying out a joint fire safety training exercise in the empty Jupiter Court high rise in Cargo Fleet, Middlesbrough.

The building,
which is due for demolition, will be filled with generated smoke and students
from Hartlepool College will act as “casualties” to make it as realistic as
possible. There is no need for the public to be alarmed as there will be no
fire.

The exercise is on Wednesday 5
February from 10.30am to 3.30pm

The training
exercise is in partnership with North East Ambulance Service, Cleveland Police
and agencies including property owners Thirteen, Middlesbrough Council, British
Red Cross and regional fire and rescue services.

It will test
procedures and equipment, tackling a high rise fire, evacuating residents,
setting up a rescue centre and relocation of those in need of emergency
housing.

Dave Turton,
Area Manager Emergency Response, Cleveland Fire Brigade said, “It is vital that
our crews regularly have the opportunity to test their skills and equipment in
realistic situations to ensure we are fully prepared.

“We really
appreciate the opportunity to work in partnership with other fire and rescue
services and agencies and the support of the local community. Our number one
priority is keeping our communities safe and we are proud to have the lowest
rate of accidental fires in the home the country and one of the fastest
response times to incidents.”

Strategic
Head of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience Response for North East Ambulance
Service, Simon Swallow, said, “At the scene of a major incident, the safety and
welfare of patients and staff is our highest priority. Exercising how we work with our colleagues in
other emergency services helps to ensure that we learn, improve and prepare for
incidents that require effective teamwork.”

Thirteen’s
executive director of property services Russell Thompson said: “We take fire
safety very seriously, and this is a great opportunity to work in conjunction
with Cleveland Fire Brigade and other agencies to test emergency procedures.”

Posters and
flyers will be distributed across the area to notify the public. There will
also be social media posts.